Through the Stop TB Partnership’s TB REACH funding platform, the Partnership recently connected two TB REACH grantees, enabling them to collaborate and combine their expertise and creativeness to reach new goals.

The Stop TB Partnership Executive Committee recently approved recommendations from the TB REACH Proposal Review Committee for US$ 16 million to 38 projects aimed at improving TB detection and care services. One of those projects is Scientific Animations Without Borders (SAWBO), which focuses on developing educational animation media about TB and building a network of global experts to advise them deliver informative and memorable material.

Another project included in Wave 5 is the Stony Brook University Global Health Institute led Drone Observed Therapy System (DrOTS) project, which is developing an integrated bundle of innovative technologies that will enable improved TB case finding, diagnosis, care and education. Using drones, the DrOTS project will be able to bridge remote Malagasy villages with diagnosis and treatment centers. Community based TB management will be supported by evriMED devices to increase adherence and short educational videos to promote TB awareness, provide counselling and support community health workers work.

A capacity building workshop was convened by TB REACH in May 2017, designed to provide grantees with an increased capacity to measure the impact of their Wave 5 projects. It also became an amazing opportunity for grantees to see each other’s projects and explore synergies that might be present, while also obtaining technical input from others. SAWBO and DrOTS were able to see the synergy between their two projects early on, and the collaboration became official more recently.

With their combined expertise, the two are currently working on the translation of SAWBO’s existing animation to Malagasy so that those videos can be used within the DrOTS educational programs. In addition, DrOTS has joined SAWBO’s global network of experts, offering feedback and advice on new TB animation projects that SAWBO creates.